Designing Fallout, Skyrim, & Starfield | Dane Olds

Dane Olds spent nearly two decades at Bethesda helping bring Fallout 3, Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield to life. From Skyrim’s Dwemer creations and Daedric artifacts to Fallout’s weapons, his work has been in the hands of millions of players. We sit down for a nearly three-hour conversation about his beginnings on Shivering Isles, working with Todd Howard, creating some of Bethesda’s most recognizable weapons, and stepping into leadership on Starfield and Shattered Space. Dane shares the story behind Fallout 4’s controversial assault rifle, a rejected Power Fist design, and how his personal copy of Daggerfall ended up on Steam. We also get into metal music, retro gaming, Starfield’s reception, and what life after Bethesda looks like for someone who always felt called to make games.